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Typical gifts for mourners include cut flowers, but more and more we are hearing that the flowers are beautiful, but people are looking for something that lasts a bit longer. I think one of the beautiful things about memorializing friends and family is how often nature has a healing and comforting effect. This seems hardwired into our brains, as we seek comfort in flowers, leaves, and nature. In my house, hummingbirds and gladiola remind us of my brothers, who passed when I was a child. It’s so comforting to have a tactile reminder of them. And sighting gladiolas or hummingbirds to this day feels like a sweet visit from beyond.
Whether you are choosing one for your own memory or for someone else as a sympathy gift, it is wise to keep in mind a few considerations while making your choice.
Choose a plant that is hardy for the area. This should go without saying, but it’s good to be reminded that the plant’s death shouldn’t be an uncomfortable reminder. Therefore, choose something that you know will be a little more cold-hardy, or commit to learning how to care for the plant to give it the best chance possible.
Choose a larger plant that is somewhat established. It may be tempting to pick a smaller plant, but for the reason given above – that you want the plant to last as long as possible – choosing a larger plant gives it a head start.
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Plan to care for the plant to the best of your ability. It’s really not a lot of care, but knowing the kind of care required makes a difference. Find a fertilizer for the plant, and if you are planting trees and shrubs, we highly recommend using MYKE’s, which is a mycorrhizae product that captures nitrogen for the roots of the plant, making it better at taking up nutrients. Fertilizer and MYKE’s should give the tree or shrub a strong root system, disease resistance, and prepare it better for winter. With that, plan to mulch new trees and shrubs for the first two to three years. Covering the ground around new plants helps to prevent losses during the winter.
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Flowering trees and shrubs tend to have an extra special quality: seeing the blooms each year is a beautiful reminder of your loved one. Choose from the following:
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You can choose fruit trees and shrubs, which also gives you a meaningful connection. Perhaps your loved one canned fruits or preserves, so you may want to plant Saskatoons or Raspberries. Haskaps are another common fruit shrub today. Try apple or pear trees, or even grapes for something a little different!
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Pick hardy trees that have a long lifespan. Some trees only have a twenty year lifespan, so you will want to choose a plant that will have a long life. Our nursery staff have great ideas that follow this criteria, but you could try:
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You may also choose to plant a tree that is meaningful to you or the person who has left us; this could be a plant they owned in their yard; a plant with a similar name; a plant that makes you think of them. The main things to keep in mind are where the plant will go, and putting in the required care to ensure that your memorial tree lasts long into the future.
One of the more special parts of working at Dutch Growers is how often people incorporate plants into their memorial plans for friends and family. Trees and shrubs in particular offer a life-affirming way to remember our loved ones. Every time a flowering tree blooms, or a shrub’s leaves start to bud, you are reminded of your family member with love and affection. A tree or shrub lasts a long time, and makes the grieving process a bit less lonely as you embrace the beauty that life has to offer. Read on for more information on how to incorporate plants into a lasting and vibrant memorial.
One of the more special parts of working at Dutch Growers is how often people incorporate plants into their memorial plans for friends and family. Trees and shrubs in particular offer a life-affirming way to remember our loved ones. Every time a flowering tree blooms, or a shrub’s leaves start to bud, you are reminded of your family member with love and affection. A tree or shrub lasts a long time, and makes the grieving process a bit less lonely as you embrace the beauty that life has to offer. Read on for more information on how to incorporate plants into a lasting and vibrant memorial.
Typical gifts for mourners include cut flowers, but more and more we are hearing that the flowers are beautiful, but people are looking for something that lasts a bit longer. I think one of the beautiful things about memorializing friends and family is how often nature has a healing and comforting effect. This seems hardwired into our brains, as we seek comfort in flowers, leaves, and nature. In my house, hummingbirds and gladiola remind us of my brothers, who passed when I was a child. It’s so comforting to have a tactile reminder of them. And sighting gladiolas or hummingbirds to this day feels like a sweet visit from beyond.
Whether you are choosing one for your own memory or for someone else as a sympathy gift, it is wise to keep in mind a few considerations while making your choice.
Choose a plant that is hardy for the area. This should go without saying, but it’s good to be reminded that the plant’s death shouldn’t be an uncomfortable reminder. Therefore, choose something that you know will be a little more cold-hardy, or commit to learning how to care for the plant to give it the best chance possible.
Choose a larger plant that is somewhat established. It may be tempting to pick a smaller plant, but for the reason given above – that you want the plant to last as long as possible – choosing a larger plant gives it a head start.
Plan to care for the plant to the best of your ability. It’s really not a lot of care, but knowing the kind of care required makes a difference. Find a fertilizer for the plant, and if you are planting trees and shrubs, we highly recommend using MYKE’s, which is a mycorrhizae product that captures nitrogen for the roots of the plant, making it better at taking up nutrients. Fertilizer and MYKE’s should give the tree or shrub a strong root system, disease resistance, and prepare it better for winter. With that, plan to mulch new trees and shrubs for the first two to three years. Covering the ground around new plants helps to prevent losses during the winter.
Flowering trees and shrubs tend to have an extra special quality: seeing the blooms each year is a beautiful reminder of your loved one. Choose from the following:
You can choose fruit trees and shrubs, which also gives you a meaningful connection. Perhaps your loved one canned fruits or preserves, so you may want to plant Saskatoons or Raspberries. Haskaps are another common fruit shrub today. Try apple or pear trees, or even grapes for something a little different!
Pick hardy trees that have a long lifespan. Some trees only have a twenty year lifespan, so you will want to choose a plant that will have a long life. Our nursery staff have great ideas that follow this criteria, but you could try:
You may also choose to plant a tree that is meaningful to you or the person who has left us; this could be a plant they owned in their yard; a plant with a similar name; a plant that makes you think of them. The main things to keep in mind are where the plant will go, and putting in the required care to ensure that your memorial tree lasts long into the future.
Growing a Memory: Memorial Planting
One of the more special parts of working at Dutch Growers is how often people incorporate plants into their memorial plans for friends and family. Trees and shrubs in particular offer a life-affirming way to remember our loved ones. Every time a flowering tree blooms, or a shrub’s leaves start to bud, you are reminded of your family member with love and affection. A tree or shrub lasts a long time, and makes the grieving process a bit less lonely as you embrace the beauty that life has to offer. Read on for more information on how to incorporate plants into a lasting and vibrant memorial.
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